We're InSane for Zayn!

Zayn was always destined to be the “bad boy” of One Direction, and he’s just gone and proved us all right by admitting he smokes a “couple of joints” every now and again.

Wild, right.

Yes ex-directioner Zayn has left his pop prince persona firmly behind; leaving long-term girlfriend Perrie Edwards for model Gigi Hadid, releasing a song that was definitely about banging and now smoking at least “four impeccably rolled little mind bombs” in an interview with NME.

Alright Zayn, we get it, you’re cool now. Talking to the magazine, he said:

“Ive probably been smoking for a while. I dont wanna say when I started because I dont want to influence anyone else. Thats just something I do myself.

It helps sometimes with the creative process, if youre smoking a good weed.Dont panic, its organic.”

The former One Direction members debut, with its Frank Ocean-like falsettos, hazy production flourishes and sad-eyed sentiment, is no box-ticking exercise

Despite his protests of ignorance, the timing of Zayn Maliks debut solo album, Mind of Mine, feels pretty significant. It comes out a year ago to the day after he released a statement confirming hed left One Direction, the juggernaut, X Factor-created boyband that had propelled him from a slightly bored-looking teenager to a slightly bored-looking, incredibly wealthy adult. After leaving the group, he explained that he wanted to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. Months after a very public spat with producer Naughty Boy, signing a solo deal with RCA Records and starting a relationship with model and reality TV star Gigi Hadid after an acrimonious split with his pop star fianc Perrie Edwards, however, it appears he simply got bored of being normal.

Set among the perma-smiling, chino-sporting lineup of One Direction, there was always something oddly compelling about Maliks indifference. Rarely the most vocal in interviews or the most animated onstage (his moves largely boiled down to fiddling with his ear piece and pouting), his allure came from seemingly doing nothing at all. It was like he was chiselled from marble; blank but intriguing. While the smart money went on Harry Styles to forge a solo career, Malik took on the Robbie Williams role, a twinkly-eyed loose cannon who loves his mum but who couldnt keep himself out of the tabloids (weed smoking, allegations of affairs, terrible tattoos). If various interviews are to be believed, he has barely spoken to his former bandmates since.

Its this outsider status along with his hasty derision for his old bands music that makes his transition from Mumfordesque ballads and pepped-up pop anthems to weed-fuelled downbeat sex jams on Mind of Mine feel like less of a stretch than if Niall Horan had done it. The importance of getting the first single right means recent UK and US No 1 Pillowtalk is basically a checklist of heavy-handed, Im-a-man-not-a-boy rebellion. So theres swearing (fucking and fighting to piss off the neighbours), alongside that Weeknd-esque trope of conflating pain and pleasure into one woozy, weed-filled 4am tryst. Theres also lashings of overwrought guitar, as though rocknroll still signals danger.

Thankfully, Malik settles into a less ham-fisted groove as the album unfolds (although its title and artwork both suggest he hasnt completely mastered subtlety yet). The excellent first half showcases his Frank Oceanesque falsetto on the sad-eyed, organ-drenched Its You (produced by Channel Oranges main producer, Malay), and on Befours pulsating electro-throb theres a head-spinning vocal performance you dont tend to get from a former boyband members, Justin Timberlake aside. Perhaps the albums highlight is the double whammy of mid-tempo standouts She and Drunk, with the former featuring a fairly cold and distant lyric about Malik offering no solace to someone in need (She wants somebody to love, to hold her), while the latters percolating emotion finally offers a glimpse behind the cool-guy exterior (Red eyes, amnesia, I need ya, he coos).

From the lovely, pastoral intermission Flower (sung in Urdu in recognition of Maliks Pakistani heritage), the albums quality dips slightly, the downcast tempo and reverb-heavy finger-click beats becoming vaporous by the time he and Kehlani swap hazily lustful lines on Wrong (weirdly, the excellent, upbeat Like I Would is relegated to the deluxe edition). Theres still time for surprising moments Fool For Yous Lennon-inspired piano-lead ballad, the lovely Rear View (It sounds like you need a friend) and the glitchy Timberlake-isms of the closing TIO but the meandering Lucozade is a chorus-less mumble, while the slowburn Truth is lost in the second-half fog.

The lasting impression of Mind of Mine, however, is of someone finally making the music theyve wanted to make for a long time. That the sound hes chosen clipped beats, hazy production flourishes, oodles of falsetto as a shortcut for emotional honesty is basically 2016 writ large may seem bandwagon-jumping, but theres more than enough good stuff here to suggest its been created with love rather than with an eye on ticking boxes. You sense hes had enough of the latter to last him a lifetime.

They’ve sparked rumors they’re dating after being spotted together in the past few weeks.
And model Gigi Hadid and singer Zayn Malik appeared to confirm the budding relationship as they held hands while leaving trendy club The Nice Guy in West Hollywood in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Zayn Malik and Gigi holding hands

Gigi flashed her toned abs in a black crop top and skinny distressed jeans as she locked fingers with the former One Direction singer.
Gigi, who is the daughter of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Foster, split from singer Joe Jonas three weeks ago, around the same time Zayn publicly declared he will ‘always love’ his former fiancee, Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards.
However, they appeared to have moved on – sparking rumors they were together when they were seen together on a string of dates in Los Angeles.
Fans also went into overdrive after Zayn posted a photograph of himself wearing Gigi’s glasses to Instagram.

It seems the rumours have finally been confirmed, Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are officially an item. They were snapped out on yet another date together in Los Angeles and Gigi was keeping it coolly casual in her velvet crop top, high-waisted jeans and a leather biker jacket.

The pair were holding hands as they left the club and we can’t blame Zayn for falling for this beauty. She’s got a model figure and after appearing in the Victoria’s Secret campaign this year, we imagine there were a queue of men lining up for the young star – she did look fabulous!

We think Gigi looks just as gorgeous when she’s having a dress-down day too – we love her biker look. Distressed jeans and leather outerwear are always a winner in our eyes and when you throw a taut tum like that into the mix too it gets a huge thumbs up from us!

And on Sunday they appeared very much together as they left the club hand in hand.
The twenty-year-old model wore her blonde hair back in a ponytail, with some stray wisps framing her face.
She covered her crop top with a black leather jacket and wore a thick black choker necklace.
The couple even appeared to have matching looks, with Zayn also wearing a black top and faded grey Van Winkle in Lock n Load jeans from Ksubi. They also wore similar black shoes as they left the club.

The pair looked tired as they exited the West Hollywood venue around 2.30am on Sunday morning.
Joe and Gigi were also seen partying at the club on Tuesday and have been spotted together while out in Los Angeles over the last few weeks.
Bradford-born Zayn is enjoying some down time after famously quitting One Direction in March, and called off his engagement to girlfriend of four years Perrie in August.
He plans to launch a solo music career early next year that he says will better represent who he is as an artist.
Meanwhile, Gigi also reportedly split from former Disney star Joe after five months over their busy work schedules.
The model’s career has been going from strength to strength, and achieved a lifelong goal by walking the runway for the Victoria’s Secret show in New York on November 10.

One Direction stars Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson face losing more than £3,000 each if they are caught using, or promoting, illegal drugs in Manila.

The pair have been asked to post bonds of 200,000 pesos each for a special work permit, ahead of two concerts in the Philippine capital this weekend.

Local immigration said the bond was intended “to protect public interest”.

It follows a video leaked last May in which Malik and Tomlinson were shown allegedly smoking cannabis in Peru.

Elaine Tan, of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration, said the band would be prevented from performing if producers fail to post the cash bond before the concert.

The amount includes an additional processing fee of 20,000 pesos.

“The condition is intended to protect the public interest should the band members commit any violation during their stay in the Philippines,” said Tan.

It is understood a concert producer went to the Immigration Bureau on Thursday to post the bonds, said Christine Ching, a spokeswoman of Anti-Drugs Advocate.

The band were named the most successful UK act in the world for the third year in a row last December.

The group has also called on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to send officers to monitor the band.

“We want to see their pure, raw, untainted talent,” said Ching, adding that there was concern about the popular band’s influence on Filipino youth.

She said the group had met with concert producers, and they had agreed to allow government drug agencies and advocate groups to monitor band members.

One Direction are due to play at the seaside Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on 21 and 22 March.

After the leak emerged last year, One Direction’s Liam Payne – who was not seen in the video – tweeted an apology, saying “I love my boys and maybe things have gone a little sideways. I apologise for that.”

“We are only in our 20s and we all do stupid things at this age,” Payne wrote.

Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson have added some more ink to One Direction’s growing collection of tattoos! The guys stopped by a tattoo parlor while the band was in Australia for the ARIA Awards last week, and they got dramatic new designs from their trip.

Zayn added an intricately designed piece to his hand and wrist while Louis got a dramatic knife tattooed onto his forearm and a cute, little smiley face on his wrist. The guys even spent some time hanging out with the artists in the shop, and it looks like they had a ton of fun with their tattoo adventure.

Zayn Malik’s hair is so long that he needs a hair band to keep it out of his face!

Remember when Zayn Malik gelled his hair back for the 2014 American Music Awards but one single strand rebelled and fell back in front of his eyes ever-so-perfectly? Of course you do, as the image is probably forever seared into your minds.

Well, now the One Direction singer knows exactly how obsessed we all were with his dapper ‘do, because during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the band got to see the best fan Twitter reactions to Zayn’s red carpet style. As we were all freaking out over his hot new look, he was left to answer the big questions like: Was it planned? How do we score the look ourselves? And how can we continue on with our days now that we have seen this hairstyle?

With more than 20 years of experience in the hair care industry, London-based stylist Andrew Jose shares his top tips for men who want to grow their hair, Harry Styles style.

1. Create texture
‘Texture is key for this style so add definition into hair with a little wax applied with finger tips to the ends to take away any frizz,’ Andrew said. ‘The Lee Stafford Messed Up Putty (£5.99) is great as it is light yet adds a little weight to the ends of hair to stop any flyaways.’

2. Condition, condition, condition
‘Healthy well-groomed hair takes a little more maintenance than a short style so quality hair care is essential. Keep it clean and conditioned with Salon Science Swiss Apple Celluluxe Shampoo (£15) and conditioner (£17).’
The apple stem cells are added to support the cells in the hair follicle itself, which helps the hair to become stronger as it grows, Andrew explained.

3. Always exfoliate
‘Don’t neglect your scalp,’ said Andrew, ‘Always ensure that an exfoliator is factored in to your hair care regime to avoid any dandruff or flakes. The Salon Science Hydrafoliant Scalp Scrub (£15) is a pre-shampoo scalp treatment.
The product contains exfoliants, Andrew said, that remove old skin cells so that the scalp itself appears smoother and clearer.